The present invention relates to a word processor with an attribute function. Many word processors can create some attribute effects such as underline (A), boldface (B), superscript (S.sup.2), subscript (O.sub.2), strikeout (STOUT), and so on. It is known that some of the prior word processors determine a range by means of a cursor's movement and then select one of the attribute effects to be added or canceled throughout the determined range. It is also known that a prior word processor having an individual attribute key for each attribute effect executes the attribute effect in response to the cursor's movement when one of the attribute effect keys is depressed.
However, with respect to the above-mentioned word processor which sets the range before selecting the attribute effect, many keystrokes are required in order to execute attribute effects, resulting in a complicated operation. In particular, the process of operating the attribute functions is rather confusing for the beginner, discouraging him or her from learning the operation of the word processor.
In another prior word processor which has an individual attribute effect key for each attribute effect and creates the attribute effect in response to the cursor's movement, the direction of the cursor's movement is predetermined to be rightward and downward. As a result, when the attribute effects previously produced are required to be canceled, the operator has to follow a complicated process; that is, moving the cursor back to the top of the range where the attribute effects are required to be canceled, depressing the attribute cancel key prior to the attribute effect key, and finally moving the cursor rightward or downward so as to cancel the attribute effects. Furthermore, another problem with the above word processor is that the cursor's movement can produce an unwanted cancelation of a character; to elaborate, when the operator moves the cursor in order to produce an attribute effect within a range where some of the words are already provided with the attribute effect, the attribute effect already existing with the words is automatically canceled in response to the cursor's movement, while the words without the attribute effect are provided with the attribute effect.